OUR TREE

MARSHALL UNIVERSITY

OLD MAIN

#1 and Gmama at Marshall vs. Tulsa Football Game

#1 Husband and Gmama traveled 600 miles back to our Alma Mater last weekend.  The occasion was Homecoming 2012. Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia.  We stayed with long time best friends, Allen & Jeanie who are the kind of friends that regardless of how long you've been apart, the minute you see one another, it's as though you never miss a beat...like you saw each other the day before...you pick up the conversation right where you left off...

Allen and Jeanie

World's Best Friends

Roger and Allen played football for Marshall back in 1971.  The Movie, WE ARE...MARSHALL, chronicles the true story of the University losing 75 players, coaches and boosters in a tragic plane crash Nov. 14th, 1970.

If interested in our Love Story/Marshall Story GO HERE

Anyhoo...

In 1972, as college sweethearts, #1 carved our initials into a huge Tree, Maple or Oak I'm not sure.  

R.H

+

J.S

Going back this past week-end

We had to stomp through some weeds and an overgrown path in search of the tree located in Ritter Park.  A bad storm felled the tree around 15 yrs. ago.  I wanted to look to see if our initials had survived 40 yrs...unlikely but I could hope.

A sweet young Man and his girlfriend were on the bridge beside "Our Tree", fascinated by our story, the young man went in search of our initials.  No success, so we began walking back through the brush when we heard voices yelling at us to stop!  The sweet couple, out of breath but excited, said they had found our initials after further searching!  I gave them my camera in hopes my dream of finding our initials might come true after 40 years.

Here is what they found!!!!

Can you see it????

The *S* is There!!!!

My Maiden Name Initial survived 42 years!!!

I can't remember being so excited about finding something!!

I promise, no editing was done!!  This is the original initial my Roger carved in that tree 40 yrs. ago while on a fall walk in the park, 1972!

BLESSINGS

GO HERD

GMAMA JANE

CXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXDDDDDDDD

Leafs Me Happy Quilt Pictures

WHERE OH WHERE

DID GMAMA GO?

I apologize for my ABSENCE on Monday's *Leafs Me Happy* Blog Hop!

I was 600 miles away in West Virginia when I learned that back home at the Farmhouse there had been a mjor crash of Cable TV, Phone, AND Internet!  I didn't find out until today that my post did NOT post .  

PLEASE forgive me. 

 I have posted my LEAFS ME HAPPY Quilt Blocks and projects for Today's Post.

The Blocks were made from String Blocks in Fall Colors

 See my cute little worm?  and MugRug?

 Future Table Topper in my NEW Kitchen Makeover!

The Apples are applique with utility quilting stitches using Perle Cotton Thread in variegated red/black.

Hope You enjoyed My Leafs Me Happy creations....
2 Days Late....Better Late than Never...Right????

Blessings,

BIRMINGHAM QUILT/SEWING EXPO...OMGOSH!!!!

 QUILTING SEWING EXPO

SEPT. 21-22

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

DOOR PRIZES

I WON!!!!

 $35 PAIR OF 8" SCISSORS

 Applique Pressing Sheet & Creative Quilts from the Crayon Box

I bought these after seeing the technique demonstrated.

I can't wait to try it out myself and show you the results!

 Do you see the *Bowl*?  It's a free trade item from Uganda!

In my goody bag BTW!

I haven't had much chance to play with my new quilting goodies.  I came home to find my oldest daughter in sever back pain.  The Dr. said it was from repetitive lifting (taking care of James) and she has a herniated disk, arthritis in one of the vertebrae, and a bulging disk.  So...Guess who swooped in to help with James? Grandmama to the rescue.  Ladies...I am so tired I can hardly wiggle.  She had a part time Nanny but she is getting married.  Hoping to find someone to fill her place but affordable part time nannies are hard to find...

I am also in the middle of MAJOR House Remodel.  Pictures forthcoming!

Are you sewing for the LEAFS ME HAPPY BLOG HOP???

I AM...SORTA, KINDA, IN BETWEEN CONTRACTORS REPLACING WINDOWS, HAMMERS POUNDING, WALLS BEING TAKEN DOWN, AND PLAYING NURSEMAID PLUS BABYSITTING SIDEKICK SCOTT

CALGON...TAKE ME AWAY!!!!!! (Remember that jingle from years past?)

Still waiting on #1 husband's Biopsy results.  Will let you know as soon as we know)

Blessings

WEDDING PHOTO BOOTH, DOTS GIVE-AWAY WINNER, QUILT EXPO

Wedding Photo Booth 

Winners

and

Quilting Expo!  

This is my Daughter, Mary Ellen and I at a good friend's wedding last Saturday evening!  Weddings sure are different than they used to be....so many unique venues, ceremonies, and receptions.  The Photo Booth was a real hit Sat night!  A huge box of props gave each guest a way to personalize photographic message.  Each guest received a personal copy of the pictures and one copy was placed in a memory book for the Bride and Groom.  As you can tell, we were very "serious" with our well wishes.  lol!!!

DOT TO DOT
BLOG HOP

WINNER!!!

VESUVIUSMAMA

CHECK YOUR EMAIL!! 

$25 GIFT CERTIFICATE FROM QUILT TAFFY!

AND NOW......

DRUMROLL PLEASE....

THE GMAMA  and PARTNER IN QUILTING CRIME, CELINA,

 WILL BE GOING  FOR THE WEEK-END

TO 

THE ORIGINAL QUILTING AND SEWING EXPO

IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

DOTS ON DOTS and POLKA DOTS and GIVE AWAY

 WELCOME TO MY 

WONKY DOT HOUSE

  

 Neither House remodeling, Dead Camera, nor lack of picture taking sunlight could keep me from

 MY day 

on the 

BLOG HOP

I won't bore you with the details because I know why you're here!  The fact that this is the first time I've ever used this *camera bought TODAY in last chance haste at Wally World* hopefully gives me some empathy for the pitiful poor pictures.  I think it's time I get some photography lessons from my daughter the Professional!

My Wonky Dot House is going to be the Center of my WONKY HOUSE Quilt.

MY WONKY DOT HOUSE will be the perfect setting for all the wonky house blocks I received from quilters all over the world! 12 TOTAL

MY GREAT GRANNY BLOCKS IS ONE OF THE LATEST CRAZES IN BLOGLAND.

I SIMPLY DECIDED TO COMBINE THE TWO AND MAKE ALL MY BLOCKS...DOTTY!

If you want the Tutorial GO TO LORI HOLT"S BLOG, BEE IN MY BONNET

Green Dots

Red Dots

and on and on and on for a total of 20!

I'll just highlight a few.  I will be making a lap quilt as a Christmas Gift for some unsuspecting family member who doesn't read my blog.

Here are 14 of the blocks spread out on my bed.

I made 2 color themes...one is vintage using SEW CHERRY by LORI HOLT

and the second one uses BRIGHT DEEP COLORS.  I don't have all the blocks completed for the second color line.

Thanks to Madame Samm and Corrie from Quilt Taffy for hosting this fun and DOTTY Blog Hop.

*****************************************************************************

GIVE-AWAY

$25 GIFT CERTIFICATE

FROM 

QUILT TAFFY

1.  BECOME A FOLLOWER (IT'S POLITE, DON'T YOU THINK?)

2.  IN YOUR ORIGINAL COMMENT, TELL ME IF YOU ARE A FOLLOWER) NO NEED FOR 2 COMMENTS

3.  VISIT ALL MY FELLOW DOTTY QUILTERS AND LEAVE A BIG CHEER! YOU ARE ON THE HONOR SYSTEM

4.  WINNER WILL BE DRAWN AND ANNOUNCED SEPT. 20TH

Mondays Dots Enthusiasts

September 17th

A Quilt and A Prayer 

Krislovesfabric 

Kelsey Sews

Gmama Jane

501quiltblocks 

Cherry Blossoms 

Quilting Linda 

Sheila's Quilt World

The Sunflower Patch

Winning a Ribbon at the County Fair

RIBBON WINNER AT THE COUNTY FAIR!

MY COAT OF MANY COLORS

This precious little housecoat was made for me at age 4 in 1957 by my Great Grandmother, "Big Grandma" as I called her.  She took left over quilting scraps and pieced the fabric together to sew this wrap-around house-coat for me.  Every grandchild and great grandchild got a gift from Big Grandma each Christmas.  I usually got a little apron and one for my doll.  But this particular Christmas, I was the proud recipient of the house-coat shown in the picture.  All of Big Grandma's gifts came wrapped in white tissue paper tied with red or green curling ribbon.  I always got to open my gift from Big Grandma on Christmas Eve!

Over the years, my Coat of Many Colors (a tribute to the iconic song by the same name written and sung by Dolly Parton)  was stuffed into a storage box and forgotten.  27 years ago while unpacking some boxes, my Son came running to tell me he and his sister had found a "Hippy Coat" !!!  I laughed and cried all at the same time.  For now, I was a little older and appreciated the love and effort put into each stitch.  The idea that my children thought the coat looked like a "hippy coat" was hilarious.  I was thrilled to have found my coat and it soon took a place of honor on a wall in my new kitchen.

The coat has been a part of my kitchen decor for over 27 years until this year I decided to enter it in the heirloom sewing division of The Lincoln County Fair!  I don't have a picture of my White Ribbon as of yet but I plan to get one on Sunday, last day of the Fair, when I reclaim my treasured, *Coat of Many Colors*.

BLESSINGS

SEPT. 11th 2012/GRANDPARENTS DAY/DOTS BLOG HOP

SEPTEMBER 11th  2001

OUR COUNTRY MUST NEVER FORGET THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WISH US HARM AND STILL PLOT TO REPEAT WHAT HAPPENED 11 YEARS AGO.

GRANDPARENTS DAY

2012

Papaw and Gmama shared breakfast at school the past two mornings in honor of Grandparents!  We had cards made for us and got to meet their teachers.

No other name on earth is as precious to me as to be called

Mama

and 

Grandmama.

**************************************************

A reminder of today's Blog Hop Stops

September 11th

Why Knot Kwilt 

Stitchin by the Lake

Beth @ Plum and June

The Recipe Bunny

Sunshine Girl

Aunt Marti

The Fuzzy Hat Quilter

Rose Prairie Quilts and Farm

Cliodana

DOTS AND ROBBERS...I"M BACK!

GMAMA IS BACK!

WHEW!  WHAT A 2 WEEK BREAK..OR SHOULD I SAY *BREAK-IN*???

Yep, it was more like a WALK-IN considering our doors were unlocked.

But Geez Louise...WE WERE IN THE BACKYARD!!

My CSI/NCIS crime fighting skills came in handy when I went for the latex gloves before touching anything. After-all I didn't want to disturb the crime scene with my own fingerprints!  It didn't matter in the long run because evidently this robbery wasn't the thieves' "first rodeo" if you know what I mean.  They wore Gloves!!...  Left some industrial glue type substance from construction gloves.  They had obviously moved several large items earlier that morning on their little crime spree.

#1 husband and I plus Sidekick Scott were approx. 50 yds. back from the house, close to the barn, drinking some ice water.  PaPaw cut brush while Scott and I watched a little mama red bird search for her nest in the cut limbs....20-30 minutes at most...walked back to the house...Papaw goes upstairs to take a shower...I go in to the den to turn on Cartoons for Scott...NO TV!!!!!!  

GRANDMAMA, "WHERE IS THE  TV???"

SCOTT, "I CAN'T WATCH SUPER HEROES, GRANDMAMA!"

CLOMP CLOMP CLOMP  (That's ME CLOMPING upstairs, 2 at a time)

GRANDMAMA (YELLING OVER THE RUNNING SHOWER), "WE"VE BEEN ROBBED!!!"

       PAPAW, "WHAT??????????????????????????????"

      GRANDMAMA, (JERKING SHOWER CURTAIN BACK AND YELLING LOUDER), "WE'VE 

                                    BEEN ROBBED!!!!!!  THE BIG SCREEN TV IS GONE AND THEY'VE 

                                    BEEN IN MY UNDERWEAR DRAWER!"

      PAPAW (STILL IN SHOWER)  "SOMEONE STOLE YOUR UNDERWEAR????"

      GRANDMAMA, "YOU BETTER CHECK YOUR GUNS!" ................................

   

                                    NOW!!!!  I HAVE HIS ATTENTION!  HE SCRAMBLES OUT OF SHOWER

                                    DRIPPING WET, RUNS TO DRESSER DRAWER WHERE HE KEEPS

                                    A LOADED PISTOL.

    PAPAW,  "JANE!  WE'VE BEEN ROBBED!"

                                             WHAT CAN I SAY????  WE BOTH NEED HEARING AIDES!!

*********************************************************************************

SEPT. 10TH  STARTS TODAY

MONDAY's Dots Enthusiasts

September 10th

Cat Patches

Busy Bee Quilts 

Stitch by Stitch

Mary on Lake Pulaski

Just Let Me Quilt

[Amy's] Crafty Shenanigans

PolkaDotClassic

AnnieOak Designs 

Blueberry Moon

Make sure you visit these creative bloggers and get some cute ideas with a Dot to Dot Theme!  My Day is next Monday, SEPT. 17th!

GOOD TO BE BACK

BLESSINGS

WORLD CEREBRAL PALSY DAY

James Patrick  First Day of Pre-K School 2012

I'm still taking a short break till next week but couldn't miss this opportunity to share the first 

WORLD CEREBRAL PALSY DAY

I will be back Monday Sept. 10th.

I wanted to share my daughter's TOP 10 things I would like for others to know about parenting a child with CP

1. James is a Blessing not a Burden- James came into this world exactly how God knew he would, and he is perfectly and wonderful made. He may have more physical obstacles than most of us but his life is full of joy and happiness. And he gives US nothing but Joy and Happine

ss.

2. James IS a "normal" kid ( whatever that word means anyway)- James is a typical 4 year old in every way. He plays and laughs and gets into mischief. We have to parent him just like any other child. We deal with the same issues that other parents have to deal with when raising a child.

3. I am NOT a Saint- God knew from the time He formed me that James would be my son. He prepared me for this life even when I didn't know what He was preparing me for. I love my son no more or less because he has a physical challenge than you love your fully able bodied child.

4. We have HIGH expectations for James- The dreams I have for James didn't die when we got his diagnosis. We are learning how to teach him new ways to achieve his dreams, but we fully expect our son to be a fully functioning contributor to society. He will go to college, get married, have children and be the man God has planned for him.

5.The word "retard" should be taken out of everyone's vocabulary!- It hurts and even said in jest it is a word that we should all stop using because it isn't funny.

6. It is Ok to ask me questions- I LOVE talking about my son ( what mother doesn't) I don't mind when people are sincerely trying to learn about my son or others like him. 

7. Not all CP is the same- Cerebral Palsy is an umbrella term that is used to describe a VERY large range of motor function disabilities. James's CP is unique to him and he progresses and functions uniquely. 

8. Parents of kids with CP need patience- We dont have this all figured out and we are learning as we go. Most of us were thrown into this life in a very traumatic and sudden way. We are learning how to navigate not only our own emotions and fear about the future; but we are also teaching our children how to navigate this world that we know nothing about as well. We are literally flying by the seat of our pants here and we need friends that will stand with us and not judge us.

9. Sometimes it is hard to see "YOUR"  (someone else's) child's physical success- We treasure friendships and especially those that stick by us through the hard times. But sometimes it is just plain hard to watch your child physically move ahead of ours. And sometimes we just need to be sad about that. It is nothing that anyone needs to, or can, fix and it has nothing to do with our friendship. It is a feeling of loss that sometimes creeps in on special needs parents and we have to work through it.

10. I don't wish my son "fixed"- I know that can sound strange to some that don't live this life. And yes, it is true that this is not the path I would have chosen for James, but it is the path that God chose for him and there is a reason for it. James is not broken and therefore doesn't not need to be "fixed".  We are here to help him learn to use his body the best he can and to build strength and skills just like any child. 

Please share this with family and friends who may be dealing with a special needs child.

Blessings

P.S.  No news about #1 husband....had to reschedule 2nd biopsy but Dr. is NOT worried.
See ya Monday!!
Please come visit Monday!  I have LOTS of NEWS from my 2 week Break!  Nothing is ever simple here on the farm and true to form, it has been quite a "challenge" these past 2 weeks.  Good thing I took a Break.